The insatiable curiosity and drive to hunt inevitably leads domestic cats to chase, kill and eat spiders and flies. It looks a bit gross but it’s natural. It should not cause any harm.

The snippet from a chart published in the book Wild Cats of the Words shows that insects are prey items for the ancestor to the domestic cat, the African-Asian wildcat.

Insects are prey items for the domestic cat. And the wildcat ancestor, the N. African wildcat aka Afrian-Asian wildcat

In the semi-desert areas of Botswana studies of feces of the North African wildcat show that they often hunt and kill hunting spiders; a very large spider.

Although domestic cats are strict carnivores they are also adaptable and I am sure you have seen them eat bits of cereal and other human foods which are non-typical to their diet.

Some potential dangers

This is about common sense. If insects are killed with an insecticide and a cat subsequently eats the insect the cat will be ingesting poison in a small dose. Also some insects are poisonous. You just have to be alert to these possibilities. You can’t take a blank cheque approach and say all insects are okay as prey for the domestic cat. The vast majority are. One final point is the amount flies and spiders a cat eats. Rarely they may eat too many causing a stomach upset.

However in my experience domestic cats take very few flies and spiders. For a domestic cat it is a trifling passtime to catch and eat a spider. It doesn’t happen that often but it must depend on where you live.

Please comment here using either Facebook or WordPress (when available).

Hi, I am 70-years-of-age at 2019. For 14 years before I retired at 57, I worked as a solicitor in general law specialising in family law. Before that I worked in a number of different jobs including professional photography. I have a longstanding girlfriend, Michelle. We like to walk in Richmond Park which is near my home because I love nature and the landscape (as well as cats and all animals).

Is it okay for cats to eat flies and spiders? — No Comments

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